by Tim Lawson

Created on: January 16, 2007   Last Updated: May 17, 2007

The purpose of this article is to provide some suggestions that might help people who have Social Anxiety Disorder. I have an interest in this area and I have read widely on different methods to treat Social Anxiety Disorder, but I am not a mental health professional. I am just hoping to share some of the information I have learnt because it may be of help to someone.

There are a number of theories as to the causes of Social Anxiety Disorder; there are also many different types of treatments for the disorder. Medications, in conjunction with various psychological therapies are regarded as the most successful in the treatment of the disorder. I will not go into too much detail about the mainstream methods of treatment because your local doctor can refer you to a professional who can provide you with good treatment information.

It is well known that when a person's brain chemistry is not in balance, this can have an impact on their mental health. Medications to treat Social Anxiety Disorder such as SSRI's and MAOI's affect the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain and this can help to alleviate the symptoms of the disorder. These medications can be very effective but they also have many unwanted side effects.

Another way, which is a lot more natural, to bring neurotransmitter levels into a healthy balance, is supplementation with Amino Acids. The idea behind this treatment is that by providing the brain with the resources it needs to make neurotransmitters, our brain can balance itself out naturally.

A healthy diet and a good multivitamin will also help us to provide our body with the resources it needs to stay in balance. Two other supplements that are beneficial are a vitamin b complex and a good fats source such as fish oil.

Herbal supplements can be extremely effective in relieving anxiety. Supplements that are well known for their anti-anxiety properties include kava, St. John's wart, passion flower, hops, skullcap, and valerian. Kava is known to be particularly effective for social anxiety. Please discuss using these supplements with your Doctor to make sure they are appropriate for you.

An excellent practice for sustaining good mental health is meditation. People with Social Anxiety have trouble focusing their thoughts and attention, for example they might be worrying about what someone else thinks of them instead of paying attention to the conversation they are having. Meditation practice helps people to focus their attention and to calm the mind of nervous thoughts. I believe that meditation should not be attempted without the guidance of good teacher. This is because meditation can actually be bad for your mental health if not done properly.

These are a few options for treating Social Anxiety Disorder that I thought some people might find useful. I have written this article as a rough guide to some treatment options that are out there, these treatments should be further researched and discussed with a health care professional.

Learn more about this author, Tim Lawson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.